


One can dream

by I_am_a_color_13



Category: Poldark (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Death, F/M, I'll update the tags as I update the fic to avoid spoilers, POV - Dwight, also I don't know anything about highschool in the uk so I just made it as vague as I could, except for the angsty bits that I couldn't help, is it even called highschool, it's mostly sweet stuff, of people important to the characters but no one major, only talked about, with little bits from Caroline's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 18:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_a_color_13/pseuds/I_am_a_color_13
Summary: Caroline is a new student at Dwight's school and finding her pretty and smart and interesting doesn't make it any easier to talk to her.But, despite the odds, she comes to him and ask to work on a science project together."Dwight quickly decides that no matter her reason to want to do this project with him, he is going to make the best of it and maybe try to get over this weird tension between them.One can dream, he thinks to himself as they start to work on their research."





	1. Of lungs diseases

**Author's Note:**

> So this kind of came out of nowhere. I've recently started watching Poldark again and got a bit invested in the fandom because I couldn't resist Dwight and Caroline. I wanted to try and write something for them so of course I went the "easy" way with a different time period and age and everything.  
> Since the latest episode has been very emotional (to say the least) for Dwight and Caroline, and us viewers, I decided now would be a good time to post this.  
> I've written most of this fic already (about 30 pages in word so far) so it should be updated fairly regularly. The number of chapters might change a bit since I haven't yet fully written the end of the fic. Any mistake of grammar or spelling is my own and I apologize in advance for them.  
> I'm a bit nervous about this and their dynamic and thougths and everything but hopefully you'll like it!! This is mostly an introduction chapter so there's not much happening yet.  
> I don't have anything left to say so enjoy! <3

« Are you even listening to me ? »

Dwight’s head snaps up from the notebook he’s been scribbling in to face the girl who’s been trying to attract his attention. She’s been doing so for a while if the way she looks at him, her perfect eyebrows raising and her delicate jaw clenching, is any indication.

« Sorry, I was...What can I do for you, Caroline ? » He speaks slowly and tries to make his voice even, which isn’t easy to do in her presence but he really doesn’t need any more reason for her to throw him one of her little remarks and throw him off-balance once again. He never really knows how to behave with her.  
Her being Caroline Penvenen. 

« Well, you could start by taking your bag out of the chair so I can sit », she replies, her voice a little tight in reaction to the sigh he let out as he spoke which she probably took as a sign that she was annoying him. Just his luck.  
« I came to talk to you about the group project », she explains once she is sited and all her stationary is presented neatly on the table in front of them, « I think I should be your partner for it. »  
She says it with confidence but also a certain nonchalance as if there was nothing out of the ordinary for her to be partnered with him on a science project.

« Sorry ? »  
This can’t be happening. He fiddles with his pen to keep a straight composure but when he stays silent, she turns to look at him and he knows that, to her, there is no doubt that he will say yes. And, well, he will say it -yes, that is- but really, how could she assume ? They barely talk. 

« Yes, I think the subject you proposed will be perfect for both of us to work on together. I know you usually work with your friend, Ross Poldark, but I highly doubt he’s greatly interested in the matter . » She has this habit of always mentioning people by their full name and he doesn’t know if it’s because of her posh upbringing or if it’s simply a Caroline thing but he wonders if she does the same for him. Has she ever talked about him to anyone ? Probably not, he corrects himself and clears his throat to speak up. 

« I had no idea you would be interested by this subject but you’re right, it’s not Ross’s cup of tea. »

She lets out a little side smile « Well it’s not really anybody’s cup of tea but yours, is it ? I don’t know many people fascinated by lungs and their diseases. »  
« And yet, you want to work with me on the subject. »  
« Yes. » She doesn’t give any explanation for her action and simply motions to his book « Shouldn’t we get started then? I intend to have a top grade. »

Oh, so that’s why she wants to work with him. 

Their teacher had let them propose research subjects in class last week for a paper they were to write in pairs. Today, they have to present their final partner and subject.  
Dwight, who wants to be a doctor, chose the topic of lungs diseases on which he has done many research, especially on those related to pollution and climate change, which he intends to specialize in later on in his career.  
He wasn’t disappointed when Ross let him on his own to go work with Francis on the subject of antibiotics but he never expected Caroline to come up to him and request to be his partner. Now, it made sense, she wanted a good grade and came to the student with the top ones in science.  
Not that her own grades were lacking in any sense. Ever since she had arrived, she had been an amazing student. So that can’t be the reason.

Dwight quickly decides that no matter her reason to want to do this project with him, he is going to make the best of it and maybe try to get over this weird tension between them.  
One can dream, he thinks to himself as they start to work on their research.

\------------------------------------------------------

That tension between them had been there ever since she arrived at the beginning of the school year from a previous boarding school, all proper and dazzling and smart and witty and beautiful - even in their ridiculous school uniform that she somehow manages to make look elegant and fitting. But Caroline Penvenen is the kind of girl who could probably show up in any kind of potato bag and still look magnificent, thinks Dwight. 

She moved to their small town to live with her uncle after her parent’s death caused by a car accident last year. She had to finish her year at her former boarding school before coming to live here at her own request - because she wanted to change her life, be more independent and move in a new place. Start a new life.  
Not that she had told any of this to Dwight. He had learned it from Verity who had quickly formed an attachment to the girl, as Verity always does since she can’t resist being nice and welcoming and downright adorable to anyone she meets. Demelza quickly joined their little group and he had has to refrain from asking too many questions about Caroline in the following weeks because Demelza knew him too well not to be suspicious.

Dwight has been mesmerized by Caroline since the first time saw her and it hasn’t gone away since, the way she moves and smiles and tilts her head when she speaks to someone, her voice and her brightness... But when he met her, he was quickly taken aback by her comments - witty and sarcastic, often flippant.  
The first thing she told him when Verity and Demelza introduced her to their group of friends during a school outing was : « Dwight ? What a funny name. I thought it had disappeared for years now.»  
It caught him off guard, so far from the made up scenarios he hadn’t managed to stop himself from forming in his mind in anticipation of their first meeting, and he only managed to reply quickly « Hi, uh, hope you’re having a good day. » Which of course made her laugh and even Ross looked at him weirdly afterwards. It is unusual for Dwight to loose his cool.

Most of the people he talks to have seen him grow, have had classes with him for a couple of years or are the people coming or working at the shelter he’s volunteering at, which means that he never has problems speaking to them.  
He doesn’t even consider himself shy with people he doesn’t know but there’s something about Caroline. He doesn’t know what to do with her because she either riles him up- she always seems to know just the right thing to say to make sure he can’t resist entering a debate whenever they discuss an important subject in class- or makes him tongue tied. It’s like she disables any part of him that could make him look any kind of smart or impressive or funny. 

Which is a shame because she is truly someone who can hold an interesting and smart conversation, stimulate his brain. If only they weren’t so at odds, so...unable to get each other, Dwight is sure they could work just fine.  
Ross would probably tell him that he is being dramatic, that he doesn’t look or act so bad when she’s around. But he can’t even tell Ross because « tongue tied » is probably not a part of his friend’s vocabulary, especially when it comes to girls. 

And Caroline isn’t just any girl. She’s so far out of Dwight’s league and he’s so far from being a suitable candidate for her kind that just looking at her feels like reaching. Like someone is going to come and slap the back of his head to clear his thoughts and remind him that this girl isn’t for him, can’t he see?  
He doesn’t usually care much about ranks and classes and such, except when it comes to making sure that the poorest get a fair treatment, but since Caroline’s family has a title, he can’t help but feel very little and plain compared to her. 

He’s never even travelled out of the country, except for two trips in Ireland, and she grew up in a mansion, probably spending all her holidays abroad. He is the son of the local pharmacist and his only ambition is to become a doctor and she has a brilliant career ahead of her in all the most prestigious universities where she won’t have to worry about paying anything and probably has already hundreds of suitors lined up for when she wants to settle down.  
So far the only similarity between them that Dwight could think of is that they are both only child. And blond.

He has to admit that his feeling of inferiority have never once been caused by Caroline’s actions themselves. He doesn’t know much about her, that’s true, but from what he can see, she doesn’t care about people’s situation and more about whether or not they are interesting, nice and can make her laugh. And she is sarcastic and makes remarks at everyone. She just seems to take a special pleasure in targeting him. He might have a tendency to darken his analysis of the situation. Not getting his hopes high and keeping them very low means less chances of a broken heart! 

\------------------------------------------------------

Thankfully, he manages to hold his own today in class since he knows what they are talking about and she seems to be making an effort to listen to him and reply nicely instead of catching him off-guard. They work quite well together. As he expected.  
If they stick to the subject of their paper as a topic of conversation, they work very very well. Used to working with Ross or Francis – sometimes Demelza- on most of his projects, Dwight feels stimulated by Caroline. Not because it’s her and because ha has what is most comonly defined as a crush on her, but because she’s quick and smart and efficient. They complement each other very nicely and working on this project together is turning out to be a great idea. Maybe that’s why she came to him, thinks Dwight, to find someone who’d match her. 

On his way back home, he finds himself unable to not go through every details of their conversation - little words, expressions, hand gestures, the way she writes… - and ignores most of Ross’s complaints about George Warleggan being, once again, a “fucking twat”.

\------------------------------------------------------

Caroline watches Dwight leaves the school yard with his friend Ross Poldark, with a little smile on her lips.  
Really, there is something so endearing and so attractive about that Dwight Enys.  
She can’t tell yet what he’s made off, or what he might think of her – which might be really bad for all she knows. He doesn’t open up to her like he does to others but according to Verity and Demelza, he’s one of the best guy ever and she’s only too willing to believe it. 

Turns out you just need to talk to him about lungs disease to make him look at you more than five seconds and hold a conversation. Maybe there is hope.


	2. Of sprained ankles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it took me a bit longer than planned to post this second chapter because of problems with my computer and my wrist but we're still rolling!  
> I hope you enjoy this!

The next day is gym day. Dwight quite likes P.E classes, if only because it means he can have a  little fun with Ross and Demelza rather than be silent and take notes seriously. Their P. E instructor is just about the least motivated, or qualified, teacher on the planet so it's easy to get away with it.

The sport they’re supposed to be practising at the moment is basketball which means Dwight and Ross spend most of the lesson throwing a ball at each other, pretending to practice dribbling. Their fun is cut short towards the end of the lesson by a scream coming from their left .

They turn around quickly to see a  group of girls making lot of gestures and speaking loudly over one another. One of them seems to be down on the ground and when Dwight sees the worried look on Verity’s face, he starts running towards the group. If it’s not something too bad, he can probably help. Then Elizabeth, who was hiding the girl who has been hurt from his view, moves to go and speak to the teacher, and Dwight’s heart leaps in his chest. He recognizes the blond hair immediately and runs faster to get to her, praying that it’s nothing too bad.

Once he gets to Caroline, he gently pushes the closest girl away so he can kneel down and assess the situation. Caroline’s face is twisted in pain and Demelza is holding her ankle. Demelza motions for him to take Caroline’s ankle but he first wants to make sure that she’s okay with him touching her.

“Do you mind if I look at your ankle? I can quickly see what’s wrong with it and what to do for the moment.”

She looks straight at him as if to decide whether or not he is serious. It looks to Dwight as if she moves slightly her foot towards him.

Still, she frowns, “Why should I let you do this and not the teacher?”

“Because we both know he’s barely qualified enough to be a teacher or even just an adult. Plus, I’m trained,” he replies quickly. Surely, she knows him well enough to know he wouldn’t offer his services if he wasn’t serious?

Demelza speaks up, “You can trust Dwight, Caroline. He wants to be a  doctor so he volunteers a  lot and he’s trained in urgencies and first aid and all stuffs like that! He’s got a certificate and everything.” She says it with a huge smile that warms Dwight’s heart and seems to reassure Caroline who nods at him when he moves his hands towards her ankle.

He tries to be delicate as he touches her foot and discovers the softness of her skin. He’s quickly reassured as her ankle is only lightly sprained and nothing is to be broken.

His concentration is broken by Caroline speaking up. “Do you really want to be a  doctor?” Her voice is tight but there’s a real curiosity behind it.

Thinking that she might be trying to make conversation to distract her from the pain, he makes an effort to reply, “Yes, I’ve been wanting to do that for a few years now.” He needs to stop assuming every word she says to him is something to counter-attack.

“Oh, how honorable of you. But do you really wish to spend your days surrounded by sick people ? I can’t imagine why anyone would find that interesting...”

“No,” he cuts her off, “I don’t imagine you can.”  And if she looks hurt when he says that, he pretends not to notice because what is he even supposed to say?

It’s the first time that someone has criticized his ambition. Not that she really criticized it. She seemed more genuinely curious, in her own way. He puts her foot down gently before regret starts eating him up.

\---------------------------------------

 

Truth is, Caroline doesn’t really like doctors. She doesn’t hate them or think they should be all fired or anything so drastic. She trusts them but she just doesn’t really like anything that has to do with them. It’s not just doctors, it’s everything to do with nurses, medecines, hospitals, churgery...

She can never erase the memory of her parents in their death beds, the doctors standing at her side, telling her that they had done everything and giving her details on the operations. Their faces were grey, the nurses looked tired and she had a  clear thought about the fact that this day, that she would remember for the rest of her life, was nothing really extraordinary to them.

Death was a regular visitor in an hospital and somehow all the people working there were okay with that. Seeing people weak, hurt, bleeding, dying, was okay for them. Maybe okay wasn't the right word but they came into their profession knowing they would be facing death. 

She had felt oppressed, thinking of all the people around her in the building who might end up looking like her parents. Still, rigid, so pale, so tiny without life. She had felt sick in that hospital and had not wished to spend one more minute in it.

Ever since, even if she knows doctors are necessary, she tends to avoid them. Mostly to avoid the bad memories and the presence of death rather than the profession itself.

So when Diwght, blue-eyes-cute-smile-blond-hair-and-gentle-hands-Dwight, told her he wanted to be doctor, she couldn’t picture him surrounded by death and loss and sickness.

He was so bright, almost luminescent in her mind whenever she thought of him, too bright for an hospital, surely.

\-------------------------------

 

She quickly gains back her confidence as he lets her know the state of her ankle and advises her on how to treat it before she can visit a doctor.

She gives him one of her little side smiles, “Well thank you, Doctor Enys. How kind of you to come and rescue me so urgently.”

He shakes his head and stays silent, stands up and motions for Demelza to help him pick Caroline up and guide her to one of the benches to sit her there with her leg up, where she will wait for the school nurse to bring her a cast or something and for her driver to come and pick her up.

He goes to get her bag from the side of the pitch and she thanks him again for his help when he brings it back to her.

“It’s nothing really, I didn’t do much and I’m just glad it’s not broken.”

“Oh well, I must imagine it’s nothing special to you then since you volunteer and all. You must have seen plenty of sprained ankles.”

How does she manage to make it sound like it’s a bad thing? As if somehow her sprained ankle should be the first one he had ever seen?

“Uh, a few yes. But not….not that much.”

She simply hums in reply, looking at him with her chin up, and he decides to leave.

He doesn’t know what she’s playing at and he has no idea what she expects from him. Is she even expecting anything from him or is he just re ading too much into this?

He sees Demelza elbowing Caroline gently when he turns around to join Ross sitting not too far away. As he walks to him, he can still hear the girls talking.

“Oh Caroline, why do you behave with him like that?” is asking Demelza with a  soft voice.

So he’s not the only one who’s noticed Caroline’s behaviour then. Good to know.

Although Demelza didn’t really sound reproachful, more curious. Maybe amused? Is he missing a joke? Once again, he internally argues with himself about whether or not he’s reading too much into a few words.

Sadly, he doesn’t get to hear Caroline’s reply as Ross attracts his attention to have him prove to George that he’s right about something or another.

Maybe it’s for the best, he thinks, maybe it’s for the best if I don’t know what she thinks about me. This way no one gets hurt or gets their hopes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on Tumblr @iamacolor <3


	3. Of TOWIE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters, nothing much happens it's just a light moment between the two. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Two days later, Caroline is back at school and Dwight finds her already sited as their shared table in science class. He is happy to find her looking well and rested despite the cast on her leg, which is barely visible under her uniform trousers. Her cheeks are slightly pink and her hair is braided on the side in a way that makes her cheekbones and eyes stand out. 

She doesn’t even let him greet her before speaking up “Weren’t you the least bit curious about how I was doing?” She’s smiling with her lips pinched together and her eyebrows raised, her hands folded in front of her on the table.  
“Hello to you too, Caroline. What do you mean by that?” He sits down and gets his books out.  
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” she replies with her voice dripping of sarcasm, “But I have sprained my ankle two days ago. And I have been gone from school ever since.” 

“I know that. I was the one who told you your ankle was sprained.”  
“Oh, so you do remember! I never would’ve expected that given the silence I got from you in the last days.”   
Dwight frowns. Is she...is she crossed because he hasn’t contacted her? That girl will give him headaches if she doesn’t express her thought more clearly. She raises her face a little to meet his eyes. “Not even a text, nothing. One would think you didn’t care about me at all, Doctor Enys. Aren’t you supposed to check on your patients and see how they get on?”  
“Don’t call me that, it’s ridiculous. And you’re not my patient, Caroline.” Her eyes narrow when he says her name.  
“But surely you’re my friend, aren’t you? Aren’t friends supposed to check up on each other?” 

And really this girl is impossible. Here she is calling him Doctor and tilting her chin at him and asking if he is her friend. And the worst thing is that she isn’t even asking as a joke, she seems really serious about that question.   
Has he been wrong in thinking she cared little about him ? Has she been trying to make friends all this time? In her own peculiar way, it seems that she had and because he is weak and doesn’t know when to say no when he should – because, really, Dwight, this will lead you nowhere, he tells himself- he replies, “Of course we’re friends. And I’m sorry if I hurt you by not checking up on you. A sprained ankle isn’t too bad so I didn’t think there was anything to really worry about.” 

She scrunches up her nose sending jolts down his stomach because that is one really cute nose scrunch. “Nothing to worry about? I had to spend the day lying down with my foot high up in the air and Uncle Ray fretting over me as if I was made of glass. The TV in my room was on and I couldn’t reach the command because the nurse wouldn’t let me move and I had to watch several episodes of “The only way is Essex” which didn’t help with my mood. “The only way is Essex”!! Can you imagine? It was hell, Dwight, hell.” 

He tries to hide his laughter as she frowns at the memories but he can’t resist when she adds that she wasn’t even allowed to have her dog sit on her lap for fear of him hitting her ankle, “...and really what could be worse than having to watch re-runs of “The only way is Essex” all day long? I’ll take Horace hitting my sprained ankle any day over that!” 

His laugh comes out before he can help it and he quickly turns it down to avoid attracting the teacher’s attention. “Your dog is named Horace?”  
“Yes. Why? Do you think there’s something wrong with it?” she asks, as if daring him to answer that yes, there is something very wrong with a dog being named Horace.   
“You made fun of my name and yet you called your dog Horace? Where did you even find that name?”   
He teases her without any hesitation, enjoying this small evolution of their dynamic. Bantering with her was fun, really fun. And the glint in her eyes tells him he isn’t the only one thinking so.

“Do shut up, Doctor Enys. We have work to do”, she declares, opening her folder, “And don’t look at me like that. I’ll call you that way until you apologize for making fun of my dog’s name.”  
And Dwight begrudgingly accepts his new nickname as he refuses to apologize. 

At the end of the lesson, she insists on exchanging numbers “...to work more efficiently on our project and so that you don’t have any excuse not to contact me next time I get hurt. Don’t raise your eyebrows at me, no I don’t intend on getting injured again. It’s just in case.”  
“Just in case?”  
“I want to have my designated doctor on speed dial should anything happen to me.”  
“You mean should Towie be off the air, leaving you bored and unoccupied with no one to make fun of?”  
“You make me sound so bad,” she pouts.   
“Well, you did call your dog Horace, Caroline so that means something.”  
“Hm maybe I liked it better when we didn't talk.” But she's smiling and he is too.  
And this exchange sounds a hell lot like flirting to him but he makes no comment and simply exits the room with his head up. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

It only takes Demelza a few days to corner him at lunch and ask him about Caroline.  
“What do you mean ‘What’s going on with Caroline?’ ? Nothing’s going on with Caroline, we’re just partners for Mr.Dilan’s class. That’s all,” he assures her, trying to look as innocent as he can under her inquiring gaze, “We’re just working together. Nothing will happen, or could happen anyway.”

“Does that mean you want something to happen?” she asks with a little smile, “Do you have like a crush on her?”  
He swallows hard and tries not to blush, “I’m not twelve anymore, Dem. So, no, I don’t have a crush on her. She is a really...interesting girl but she’s...There’s nothing between her and me. That’s all.”

Demelza hums non-committally and a scary thought crosses his mind. “Wait did she say something about me?”   
Demelza eyes widen slightly before she puts on a neutral face and replies, “I don't have anything to say about that.” She then rushes over to join their group of friends at their lunch table leaving him with sweaty palms and a racing heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will not be as light and happy at all (sorry) and should be coming very soon !  
> You can find me on tumblr @iamacolor


	4. Of grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Publishing this for day 5 of the Carolight Week on Tumblr dedicated to AU/Modern AU creations.  
> Warning for this chapter : death (lots of mentions) and grief (I apparently couldn't resist taking the show as an example and making dwight suffer).  
> I hope you'll like this despite the angst! I'm on holiday for a few weeks without internet so I don't know when the next chapter will be up.

Two weeks later, everything changes.

It’s a Friday evening and Dwight’s parents are running late from the supermarket as he set up the table and prepares dinner. Friday nights dinners have always been a special time for their little family. He doesn’t have any siblings but he gets along very well with both of his parents.

As he cooks, Diwght exchanges texts with Caroline about their paper. She is very invested and keeps sending him articles and references they could use, extracts of her writing to ask for his opinion and he smiles as he takes the decision to tell his parents about Caroline during their dinner.

Not that anything has changed between them but there’s no point in pretending anymore that, on his side, this is no more than a partnership, or even no more than a crush. He scrolls through their texts with a smile. Now that she doesn’t unsettle him as much as she used to, now that they can talk a bit more and that he gets to tease her back and spend more time with her, he is so far gone for her. It’s almost ridiculous. He doesn’t know exactly why his feelings are so strong but he just can’t get her out of his mind.  
He doesn’t think he’s ever felt so strongly about anyone before. She’s just...always there. In the back of his mind or at the very front of it whenever he has time to daydream or sit down.

He checks the time again and realizes that his parents are now running more than an hour late. The supermarket isn’t that far away, especially by car and he starts to get worried. Something might have happened on the road. He tries calling his father, then his mother but none of them replies. He waits ten more minutes and tries again with the same results.   
He paces around the kitchen before running to turn the heat off under the pan, wondering if his parents will even get to eat his meal. What if they had an accident? What if one of them is hurt? What if there has been a robbery at the shop?  
He shakes his head trying to get away from the catastrophic scenarios and tries calling his parents again. 

When the phone goes to voicemail once more, he feels a sudden chill running through him, something that settles deep in his bones and in his stomach and suddenly he can’t stand the smell of the food. Something has happened, he’s sure of it.   
Unable to rest or to stay at home just waiting for news, he decides to go and search for his parents himself. He knows the way to the supermarket well enough to do it by foot and see for himself if something has happened. As he puts on his shoes, the door bell rings. The sound seems almost aggressive as it rings in the silent house and Dwight jumps on his feet afraid of what is on the other side of the road. It could either be his parents or...He can’t think about it. 

Someone knocks on the door. He unfreezes and goes to open it. On the other side is Ross who’s clearly been running to come here. He looks sort of crazy, thinks Dwight, taking in his friend’s shaking legs and his messy hair and his shaky breath and the tension in his jaw and the turn of his mouth.   
He looks like he's trying not to cry. But Ross never cries.

And Dwight knows. Even before Ross gets to speak, he knows what’s coming.

“Dwight...”  
He takes a deep breath.  
“Dwight, I’m so sorry.”  
He doesn’t register much afterwards except for the terrible awful life-shattering sentence that makes him shake, makes it hard to breath and stand up. 

He’s an orphan. 

He vaguely hears Ross explaining that the accident happened in front of his house on his parents’ way back. They died on the moment.   
Ross keeps on talking but Dwight doesn't register anything beside the pain in his chest and the tightness in his throat and he thinks he's crying.  
Dwight can’t think straight and stumbles through the house, Ross following him, his hand on his waist, helping him stand up and muttering a bunch of words he doesn’t understand.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

He looks out the window as he sits at his desk, trying with all his will to focus on the paper in front of him, trying to ignore the pain in his chest and the tightness in his throat because, come on, he’s cried enough now!   
He sighs and lets his head fall in his hands, rubbing his eyes slowly. Trying to ignore the silence in the house now that his mother isn’t here to listen to the radio all day long.

It has been a week now. The double funeral was held two days ago.  
Ross’s parents have offered him to come and live with them and he thinks he will accept. He can’t stand to stay in that empty house. Not for now at least. 

At the moment, Ross is staying with him as well as his old aunt who came the day after his parents’ accident to join him. He is very thankful for her presence and to Ross for staying with him despite his dark mood, for trying to ease his pain. Demelza, who lives next door, is visiting regularly, bringing in way too much food than any of them can eat.   
He still hasn’t gone back to school. He expects to return there after the week-end.

He sighs again and raises his head from his hands. He has been trying to catch up on his classes for an hour but there’s no point.   
The pain his too deep, too present, constant. It keeps him from focusing on anything. Flashes of memories come back to him as he stares at his desk. His parents’ reaction whenever he brought back a great grade, their pride, their joy at seeing their only son being so successful. Their praise and their support.   
And it’s all gone now. No matter what he does next year, no matter where he goes, it’s never going to be for them or with them. His mom will never bring him a cup of tea during his study sessions again, his father won’t drive him to his college campus as he had promised. There’ll be no more Friday evening dinners, no more banter, laughter or even arguments with them.

He knew his parents were important to him, he knew he loved them but he hadn’t realized before their death just how essential their presence in his life was, just how much he needed them, how he wasn’t ready to let go of them. And now it’s too late.

The doorbell ringing makes him jolt up and takes him out of his dark thoughts. He stays at his chair, knowing that Ross will go and open the door.   
He hears a woman’s voice responding to Ross’s deeper one and he thinks that it might be Demelza visiting again, maybe with Verity. Unless it’s another adult with good intentions trying to share their deepest condolences. He’s told Ross he was going to study all day long and to not disturb him. His friend had given him worried look but had let him be, had let him in peace, unable to get him to eat anything substantial whenever he knocked on the door.

The voices are quiet now and he hear someone coming up the stairs. Expecting it to be Ross he doesn’t pay much attention and goes back to staring at his papers, trying to make sense of what is written.

A knock on his door. And then a voice.   
“Dwight?”

He sits up straight in his chair, a gasp escaping his lips. That voice isn’t Ross’.   
Instead it belongs to the one person he never expected to see. Despite his initial reluctance to getting a visitor, he stands up and goes to open the door, if only to make sure that this voice isn’t a product of his imagination.

But no, when he turns the knob and opens the door, she really is the one standing on the other side. Caroline.

Her lips part when he opens the door as if she was surprised by his action. She scans his face and he does the same, drinking in the sight of her, so beautiful and unexpected. She looks so out of place in his house, especially now. Her brows are furrowed and he feels his hand shaking slightly on the doorknob. He holds it tighter to assure his balance.

There really couldn’t be a worse time for her to be there.   
He suddenly remembers how he felt on that evening a week ago. When he was ready to say out loud “I think I’m in love.”. It didn’t matter much then whether or not she felt the same. Just feeling this way was exhilarating. She made him feel so alive. But now, he doesn’t think he can handle it. If she were to mock him or reject him, he’d crumble. He’s too raw inside now, too vulnerable and she has the power, even if she doesn’t know it, to bring him down for good. How funny that he realized the exact strength of his feelings for her on the day that changed his life so dreadfully. 

She is still looking at him with a frown, worry marking her features and he has a little thought about how terrible he must look. But truthfully, he can’t even think straight about anything anyway because the world just ended a few days ago and yet he’s still here and Caroline is standing at the entrance of his bedroom.

What the hell is he supposed to do now ? 

Thankfully, Caroline takes the first step.   
“Can I come inside?” There’s only concern on her face so he lets her.

Caroline takes a few steps inside and, since he stays silent as he watches her walk into his room, she goes to sit on his bed before looking around the room. Her eyes going over the posters and the cupboards before coming back to stop on his face, concern emanating from her. 

He looks around his room, noticing the scattered clothes and books on the ground, the curtains still unopened on the second window. He hasn’t had the strength to clean the place, hasn’t really cared before now but he realizes now just how messy his room looks. And as Caroline looks around again, both of them staying silent, he feels bad because he knows she has people who clean everything for her where she lives and she must thinks badly of him. 

No, he mustn’t think that, he must stop the dark thoughts that keep forming in his mind lately to perverse everything. She’s good enough to understand he is going through a terrible time and indeed when he looks at her, he sees no judgement in her eyes, just a certain sadness and ...an understanding.

She speaks up as he walks to stand in front of her and leans on the wall, “How are you holding up ?” Her voice is soft.  
It’s a question that he has heard many times in the previous day but is it weird that suddenly all he wants to do is cry and feel her hand in his hair soothing him ? His throat is tight and he can’t seem to find the words, the right ones.

When he stays silent, she speaks again, “I know you must be wondering why I’m here but I thought maybe I could help ?” She doesn’t seem too sure about herself, or maybe she’s not too sure about whether or not he wants her help.

“With what ?”  
“Dealing with grief, Dwight,” she sighs, “I know we're not that close, that you mostly put up with me and we had a weird time getting along at the beginning...but I’m pretty sure I’m the only person you know that has lost what you've lost as well. Grief feels like an old friend of mine at this point. So I thought my presence could help you. I was in your place not so long ago, Dwight. I want to help.”

He can’t believe he forgot for a moment that she was like him, marked by tragedy long before him, that she has been through what he’s going through. He knows he won’t get any fake good sentiment from her. 

And maybe it’s the fact that she said his name or the fat that she thinks he doesn’t like her very much, or just the way she’s looking at him, or maybe just her presence- most time that is enough to make him lose his mind-, but it’s all too much and he sits down on the ground and starts to sob, his face in his hands.   
His shoulder shake and he can’t help it. He hears her standing up and in a few seconds, she’s there, touch as light as a feather on his arm. 

“Crying helps, even if it feels like it’ll break you at first. I remember.” She stays there until he feels like he’s all dried up and she keeps her hand on his arm before moving it to his shoulder, tracing light soothing circles. 

When he’s silent and starts to wipe his eyes, she takes her hand off his shoulder as if she’d only noticed it was there. He wants to tell her to keep it there but he finds that he can’t speak so he just looks at her, and goodness gracious, she is beautiful.   
He doesn’t find himself intimidated by it, it’s soothing now. Somehow despite death, Caroline is still beautiful. And she’s here with him.

He relaxes against the wall and she leans on it next to him. The warmth of her next to him brings him a very much appreciated comfort, and so does the tender look she gives him. 

Ducking his head, unable to look her in the eyes, he looks over to her feet and notices the bag full of books she carried up his room with her. Schoolbooks.  
“What is it ? Do you need help?”he asks trying to clear the last of his sobs from his voice.   
She laughs lightly, “No, don’t you worry! You see, I thought I’d have to bribe you with school work to let you speak to me. Or just to give an excuse to Ross as to why I’m here, which is ridiculous, I know. But I wasn’t sure if you wanted visitors or not, and I was counting on your good nature to not refuse me help so I could speak with you. »   
There’s a light, very light teasing tone in her voice on these last words which makes the situation a bit more normal. He might have cried in front of Caroline Peneven for five minutes or so, but she’s still teasing him so things aren’t all falling down.

“You thought I would say yes to spending time on your homework today ?”  
“Dwight,-” and really he loves it too much when she says his name instead of that stupid Doctor Enys nickname she’s been using lately, “- the first thing you asked when you saw the books was ‘Do you need help?. I clearly wasn’t making any unrealistic predictions.” 

She gives him a stern look as if she knew him better than he expected. “You’re too ...helpful”, she says, “Too good.”  
He tries to argue but she cuts him off, “I’m always right, so don’t try me. Talking about being right, am I right in saying you need to eat and drink? You look half dead..,”she stops and raises her hand to her lips, “Oh sorry, that was awfully inappropriate of me !  
“It’s alright don’t ...don’t apologize to me. And I have some snacks with me, don’t worry.”

They stay silent and after a while, she stands up to look around his things. He admires her boldness to simply go through his things, without asking permission. He wouldn’t resist her anyway if she had asked, especially today. She makes no comment but he reads her expressions, laughing inside when he should feel offended at the raise of her eyebrows and maybe even blushing when she smiles at something.

“How did it ...How did it happen? For you?” He wasn’t expecting to speak up but the question comes out of him before he can stop it. He thinks he needs to talk more than he expected. He also realizes when she turns around with surprise on her face that this is the first personal question he’s asked her. He doesn’t know much about her life but today he needs to.

She walks closer to him. “My parents, you mean?”  
He nods, “Yeah. I just know it was an accident.”  
She comes to sit on his bed again.

“Sorry if it’s none of my business,” he adds which makes her roll her eyes.  
“I came here for that, didn’t I? I don’t mind talking about it. I never mind talking about them. And I know that you will understand.” 

She looks at him. “I was at school when it happened. I hadn’t gone back home for a month or so. I had called them the day before and they had told me they were invited to a gala of some sort – they were always invited to galas or parties or events of this type, you know. I don’t even remember what the gala was for, some charity probably.” She takes a little break, her hands on her knees.   
“They had to go through several surgeries during the night but it failed and they died in the morning so I got the call a day later. Well, the headmaster got it and then came to get me in maths class. And, as you know, I’m a very good student so I knew something important must’ve happened for me to be called into his office and for him to come and get me directly. I just never suspected it had anything to do with my parents.”   
She’s looking straight into his eyes now, her voice steady despite the slight tension in her hands that he can see. “He sat me down with a cup of tea, I tried to make some small talk of sort, joke about what could be the reason for me to be taken into his office. He stopped me with a look. I’ll never forget it. And then he told me what had happened. A truck derailed and suddenly, I was alone. After he spoke, it felt like I was floating. Like the room was too big and too small at the same time. Like reality was bending in a way because I just couldn’t believe it. And he just kept on apologizing.” She seems far away for a moment even if she is still looking at him. She doesn’t add anything more.

It must have cost her a lot to share something so private about herself, he realises.  
“I knew I would have to bury them one day,” he says, “But I thought I’d have to do it as a grown-up, with a new family at my side, with years and years of memories behind us. Not when I can’t even live on my own.”  
She nods, fully understanding.  
“That’s why I came to live with Uncle Ray. I thought that if he was to be my last family, aside from the odd cousin, I would have to make the most of it and make sure I had something to hold on to. He’s really sweet actually.” She clears her throat.

They don’t speak much more after this. She picks up a book to fill the time and he doesn’t ask her to leave. He likes having her here.  
Her presence is somehow exactly what he needed today even if he doesn’t think that this dynamic, this openness between them, will last after today. Even if she invited him to ride with her in her uncle’s park whenever he wants to clear his mind. 

His aunt is the one who comes up to tell them that Caroline’s driver is here because her uncle wants her back for dinner.   
They part with a short goodbye and for a moment it seems like she might hug him but she simply gives his arm a little squeeze, smiles and leaves.


	5. Of revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...it's been a long time since I posted the last chapter of this story. I finished writing it a long time ago but I had a conflicted relationship with the story for a while and didn't do anything with it and I decided to get over it and just post it!   
> I hope you'll like this chapter, I haven't re-read it in a while so I apologize for any mistakes! I can only promise that it's happier than the last one and I had a really nice time writing it and including my own version of one of my favourite Carolight moment.

To Dwight's surprise, when he comes back to school, Caroline's visit to him after his parents death, that moment of emotion between them doesn’t make things awkward, but instead helps things move forward between them. He doesn't really know how to stand when he sees her again -but thruth be told that is the case with everyone he talks to after going back, as if suddenly, now that he was an orpahn, his place in the world was shaken and he doesn't real feel like he belongs anymore, like he is a real part of it. Everything seems strange and a bit surreal, as if seen from a distance. But his friends, and Caroline, are always more vibrant than the rest.   
And so he can look at her properly instead of having trouble focusing like it happens with teachers or people randommly coming up to him to express tehir deepest condoleances to him with. In a time when most conversations exhaust him, he doesn't mind leaning a little closer to talk to her in class or looking her in the eyes. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This progress happens much to Caroline’s delight, even if Dwight is unaware of it at the moment.   
Caroline doesn't have crushes. She doesn't pine after boys. Not because she finds tehm all dumb or is against the idea of romance. It's simply that no boy has ever made her think “Oh yes, I'd like to let myself be known by you. I wouldn't mind needing you. I'd love to make you smile.” And tehn she moved to Cornwall and without any warning, it happened to her. And she welcomed it with curiosity. Not that there was any chance she could resist. Because really, there is something so endearing and so attractive about that Dwight Enys, she thinks as she watches him in class.   
She had thought at some point that he might have some sort of crush on her, that her own burgeoning feelings might be reciprocated as she watched him blush or lose his words or caught him staring at her, but that was before his parent’s death.   
And now, well, he has other things on his mind.   
She remembers what she was like after her own tragedy and romance was definitely not on her mind. Not when the world had suddenly shown its ugly side and let her cold and numb.

But she does feel like there’s a special bond between them ever since she visited him at his house. She had her initial doubts about visiting him – what if he thought it was rude? What if he refused to see anyone? What if he was sick or constantly crying? What if she never found the words and ended up looking ridiculous? What if she ruined their relationship?  
In the end, they talked and he did cry but she didn't feel embarrassed or out of place. She hated to see him cry, to see his blue eyes so red and his face so full of sorrow but he needed her. And she stayed. And nothing was ruined.   
After a few months of not knowing how to behave with him, for he never really replied the way she thought he would, he is warming up to her now and she is extremely pleased of this fact. She looks at him from over the classroom, how he looks like he hasn't slept in months, how he holds himself. And she can't stand it. Just like she coudln't stand to see him broken and cryin, she can't stand to see him trying his best to get through the day, trying to look normal and failing. She wants him to smile more and laugh more. And she wants to be the one to make him do so.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caroline joins his group of friends at lunch for the first time three days after his return to school and, from that moment on, is a new fully included member of their little band. Most of them are childhood friends, but she fits just right in and is soon right at home between the different dynamics. She likes to tease George and Francis a lot. Ross likes to stay silent most of the time when she's there to make it harder for her to find an occasion to make fun of him. Which Caroline takes as a challenge.  
Dwight takes pride in all the little glance she gives him every time people laugh at one of her remarks. As if she wanted to make sure that he was laughing. He suspects that it’s because she’s checking on his recovery and hopes that it’s because she values his opinion.

That first time they have lunch all together is for him the occasion to discover something new about Caroline. Ross asks him casually as he bites into his sandwich, if he has received Caroline’s email and Dwight looks at him with a questioning look.  
“The notes from class?” explains Ross , “She said she was going to send some to you because she has a few classes with you that I don’t have. Did you receive it? I gave her your email address but it’s been so long since I’ve used it, I wasn’t sure it was still the right one.”  
“I...I think I haveI received it, yes,” he replies clutching his lunch box a bit tighter.

He has indeed received an e-mail on the Sunday before going back to school, with a complete file of all the classes he had missed during his week away. All written in a perfect calligraphy, well organized, with colours and annotations. A feast for the eyes after Ross’s writing - which looks more like a madman’s writing than the one of a young man in full possession of his hand and mind. Ross can’t write to save his life and it’s honestly a wonder he gets any grades with that handwriting.

Dwight had felt that the writing of these notes was familiar but the e-mail adress wasn’t – a certain candh@hotmailcom. Apparently the sender had prefered to stay anonymous as the message wasn’t signed.. He had sent an e-mail back as a thank you but had received no reply. 

He has gratefully worked on the notes and all along they were Caroline’s! How did he not recognize her handwritting before? He also now realises that some of the classes she sent him notes for aren't ones she attends. She doesn't take Spanish with him for example and yet, he had received notes, in her handwriting, of his Spanish lessons.  
He is touched by her action more than he could say, especially after her visit last Friday, and decides, as he looks at her chatting away with Demelza, to catch her later to thank her properly.

“I thought it was really nice of her to do that,” adds Ross, “I didn’t think she was a very helpful person but I guess I was wrong.”  
Dwight keeps on looking at Caroline, “Yes, that was very nice of her.”  
“You look like you’re looking at the cure for cancer,” Ross teases him.  
Dwight turns up to him,“What does that even mean?”  
Ross shrugs, “You know, eyes full of wonder and everything, like you’re looking at a miracle.” He squints his eyes at Dwight who ducks his head to avoid his friend’s gaze. Ross lowers his voice, “Do you have a crush on her? On Caroline?”  
“Mind your own business, Ross.” is all he replies, not ready to talk about his feelings for Caroline right in front of her and all his closest friends.  
“You’re my best mate. Your business is my business.”   
Dwights shoots him a hard glare and Ross lets it go but Dwight expects he will ask him about it again.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After their last class, Dwight catches up with Caroline as she exits the school yard, calling her name so she doesn’t go straight away to the car in which her driver is waiting. She turns around and smiles a little when she recognizes him. As he walks up to her, she stops.

As he gets in front of her, noticing the few freckles on her face before looking into her eyes, he speaks up, “I wanted to thank you, Caroline. What you did for me was very nice.”  
Clearly, she has no idea what he’s referring too. She furrows her brows a little, “You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”   
Before he can reply, she adds, with a glint in her eyes, “After all most people would say that simply being in my company is a privilege.”  
He tilts his head to the side and she mirrors his movement, making him feel a bit light headed. “Your company is indeed very nice, especially in times like this,” his voice goes a little deeper to make her understand how much he really means these words and her face loses a bit of her bravado, showing him that she understood what he’s talking about, “But I was talking about the notes, the ones you sent me this week-end.”

Her eyebrows rise up almost comically and if he wasn’t so tired these days, he probably would’ve laughed out loud at her expression. “Ross told me. I didn’t know it was supposed to be a secret,” he explains  
“Of course not, it’s alright. I just didn’t want to...Well, nevermind. It’s done know, you now have proofs that I am a nice person,” she tilts her chin up at him with a smile.  
“I already knew you were a good person, Caroline. No need to prove it.”  
She nods, “If you don’t want me to do nice things anymore then I shall stop.”  
He shakes his head,“You’re impossible.”  
“So I’ve been told many times.” she says proudly.

“Thank you again, it was very helpful,”he insists, “Your notes were so good I felt like I was in class.”  
She waves him off, “Well it’s nothing, I felt I had to challenge your good nature so you wouldn’t think too highly of yourself as the only benevolent person of our class.”  
“Are we living in an alternative universe where Verity doesn’t exist? Thank you for the concern anyway.”  
“I just took pity on you when I saw Ross’s handwriting. Nothing personal.” she replies lightly.

And Dwight is ready to keep up the banter a little longer - these days it often feels that any conversation is going on for too long but not with Caroline-, when she does something unexpected.  
She blushes.

Caroline usually keeps a perfect composure, never showing if she is embarrassed or angry at someone. He has never seen her blush but now here she is, pink creeping up on her cheekbones, head down to avoid his gaze, even if only for a second.   
And that’s when he knows - or rather when he first lets himself think it might be possible because he has given up a bit on dreaming these days-, she likes him.   
Something must be showing on his face because she quickly looks at her car and back at him before apologizing for not being able to stay any longer. She waves him goodbye. A few seconds, she's gone. 

Dwight doesn’t stay alone for long as Ross walks up to him, ready to head back to his house together. He raises his eyebrows in Caroline’s direction. “What was that about?”  
“Just thanking her for the notes, that’s all.”  
His friend doesn't seem too satisfied by this explanation but he doesn't insist . 

They start walking together to exit the school yard and Dwight decides to confess. After all, what is the point of staying silent ? Ross won't judge And he needs to talk about his feelings for once. “Actually, about Caroline...”  
“What's about her?” Ross is looking at him like he already knows what he's about to say.  
Dwight pushes a strand of hair away from his forehead, “I...I like her, Ross. Like her a lot.”  
“Yeah? Like a lot?” His friend’s face is still neutral but there’s a glint in his eyes.   
“Maybe more than liking? I might be entering love territory at full speed here.” He tries to be casual in his declaration but there’s no chance of it as Ross beams at him.  
“That’s great, Dwight!” He slaps him lightly on his shoulder, “Do you know if there’s any chance that she …?”, he trails off.  
“That she likes me back?” Answers Dwight, “ I feel like she might but nothing is certain. The notes were a sign, right ? But then, I don’t know, I feel like it would be too good if she did, too perfect.”

Ross stops in his tracks and puts a hand on his friend's shoulder, “Hey, nothing’s too beautiful for you. To anyone else I would’ve said they were scoring way above their league – she’s really fine and really smart and witty and I’m pretty sure her family’s richer than George’s, but don't tell him that or he'll get pissed, actually maybe do tell him!- but here there’s none of that. You’re the best guy I know, you’re in your own league!”  
Dwight laughs, touched by his friend’s words. “Are you saying that she is out of my league then?”  
“Honestly I just don’t know her that well but I know you, so if you’re into her she must be a right kind of special.”  
“I believe she is.”  
“Well then, fingers crossed!” Ross starts walking again, “I’m happy for you,” he adds.  
Dwight smiles and tries to not be overwhelmed by the thought that he should have been having this conversation with his parents a few weeks ago. He focuses instead on how grateful he is to have Ross as a friend since childhood. Ross’s presence in his life is now so much more important as he is the one person who knows him better than anyone.   
“Hopefully, she can put up with you,” adds Ross.  
“Put up with me? That's rich coming from you!”  
“Me? Why would I be hard to put up with?” exclaims his friend.  
“Oh, do you want a list? Demelza would be more than happy to help, I'm sure of that. We could start with recklessness, pride...”  
Ross shoves him away and they make their way back to his house mocking each other's worst habits.  
And for a moment, warmed up by talks of love and demonstrations of friendship, Dwight forgets he is sad.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a Monday, two weeks later, Dwight and Caroline are sitting in the library after school, as they finish working on an essay for their Geography class together. For some reason, Caroline insisted that he would need her assistance on the subject , arguing that she had knowledge he hadn’t because her father had worked on it and that she ought to share it. Quickly enough, Dwight begins to wonder if it wasn’t just a scheme to spend time with him.   
They've been doing that a lot lately, spending time together. Getting to know each other better. They banter a little and tease each other but she knows when not to insist and he learns that her little remarks are her own way of showing her attention. It’s not a desire to be upsetting, but rather a tool she has developed to only surround herself with people who can stand it and therefore to protect herself and to make sure she is in good company. 

Dwight's aunt has moved back to her home during the week-end and he’s planning on moving in with Ross and his parents in a couple of days. Which makes him thankful for every opportunity he has to spend some time with someone before going back to an empty house, especially if the someone is Caroline. He only uses the kitchen, the bathroom and his bedroom in his house. He can't stand to go through the living room, the garden. And definitely not into his parents' room. He doesn't like the idea of dust settling in it but he even just walking in front of it hurts.

Caroline helps him get out of his shell. Not that they really see each other outside of school – he doesn't really have any energy left once he's out of school, except maybe for Ross- but she give shim something to look forward to everyday. He knows he'll feel alive with her.  
He hasn’t acted on his feelings or the suspicions he has on her own, unsure of how to do it, how to be more forward. 

Sitting in the lobrary, their elbows touch from time to time, none of them making any comments about it and he sometimes loses focus as he concentrates on the way she forms her letters to take notes. A thrill runs through him everytime she leans a bit closer to whisper something, or when she points at something. She has really nice hands, he remarks to himself, and the action of pointing at things only shocases their beauty even more.  
Dwight is listening to Caroline making a remark on some policies in the Middle East regarding Iran’s situation when a guy sited at the nearest table starts speaking up loudly. He seems to be chatting up a girl who looks bored out of her mind, and really if the guy can’t see that he must be thick, thinks Dwight.   
He is going on and on about how he doesn’t need to work to get good grades because he’s just so smart, and instead likes to focus on activities outside of school or something of the sort.   
He mentions training a hamster before Dwight stops listening and goes back to his paper. Sadly, the boy doesn’t seem to remember that he is in a library and keeps on speaking as if the girl, who seems even more bored now, was sited halfway across the room from him, in that sort of screaming whisper that annoys every one around. 

“I wish he would shut up,” says Caroline, “He’s annoying everyone and guys like him shouldn’t have the right to speak. Who cares about your surfing exploits. I can do better.”  
Dwight hums in agreement while trying to picture Caroline on a surfboard.   
“Why can’t he just shut it, honestly!”She raises her voice. 

The guy hears her and turns around with an angry look.  
“Yes, you, please be silent,” says Caroline with confidence as if she was simply saying hello to an old friend. Too stunned to reply, the guy turns around and Dwight laughs when she adds, shaking her head, “Men really think we want to listen to them talk about anything.” 

“Is that how you like your men then, silent? "   
He doesn’t know what comes over him to tell her such a thing, maybe he’s the one trying to catch the other off-guard now, to make her tongue tied, and it clearly shocks her as she opens her mouth but no sound comes out. "Isn’t it boring?”" He adds.

She closes it quickly and shakes her head, “Well, well, well...You’re quite impertinent, aren’t you, Dwight Enys…”  
He smirks and replies with a grin, “I like you very much too.”   
If he might have been tempted to take that back – although it feels really liberating to just say it, to admit it to the world, at least the part of it that is the school library, to let her know without a doubt what he feels about her, to share with her this miracle feeling-, the short intake of breath she does and the way her eyes widen as she bends her head, make him instead fight against the urge to smile any wider.   
“Don’t be presumptuous,” she replies. But she’s smiling and he feels like flying.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked the first chapter <3  
> You can find me on tumblr @iamacolor


End file.
